The invention relates to a fixing system between a metal clip and an accessory or mechanism in order to integrate the same in ceilings, self-supporting panels or other elements lining the interior of motor vehicles, such fixing being assisted by a plastic material peg that is solidly attached to the respective mechanism or accessory to stand as the means for connection, by insertion clipping, to the actual metal clip, defining an integral assembly that is to be mounted on the relevant part of the vehicle bodywork.
The object of the invention is for fixing to take place directly, simply and efficiently, without having to use such additional elements as the classic screws required by conventional fixing systems. The object of the invention is also to enable the accessory to be easily dismounted or detached from the integral assembly it forms part of, which dismounting may be effected using a conventional implement and without any problems whatsoever.
In mounting self-supporting elements or panels to which certain vehicle accessories or mechanisms are fixed, such as grips in the cabin interior, armrests, rear-view mirror, etc., and in order thereon to mount the entire assembly on and have the same held to the actual vehicle bodywork, clips are used which are on the one hand the means fixing the accessory to the respective self-supporting panel and on the other the means fixing said assembly to the vehicle bodywork.
In particular, Spanish Patent no. 9401338 and Certificate of Addition thereto no. 9501623 disclose a clip for such mounting and fixing purposes, the clip being a metal clip consisting of a steel strip having a flat base and two end expansions, and moreover having two symmetrically folded side projections, which projections are each fitted with flexing flaps diverging outwards.
The clip disclosed in these documents is peculiar in a number of ways, namely for instance because the end expansions of the base define four corners which allow the clip base as such to be full stably supported, even if the window provided in the vehicle bodywork for it to be fitted is longer than the minimum required, the extensions or expansions being provided with a slightly inclined plane for an easier locking and fixing of the clip in and to the relevant window.
Furthermore, said base has two holes, provided with a straight section close to the side or end edges of the clip base, which holes help properly insert the respective positioning guides purposely provided on the accessories to be fixed, moreover making it easier to insert in and subsequently center the clip proper on the vehicle bodywork window, upon the clip sliding along the inclined and vertical planes which the bases supporting the accessories are purposely provided with.
The subject clip is also peculiar in that the side projections are bent into a rounded shape at their top and extend into vertical sections which come to lie side by side and projecting perpendicularly relative to the base, provided to endure the stress conveyed from said base of the clip when the accessory is arranged thereon.
This type of clip has a number of drawbacks or disadvantages, such as the fact that screws and washers are required to fix the clip to the accessory, which results on the one hand in a waste of time due to the screwing operation, and on the other the disadvantage that arises at times when effecting such screwing operation, due to the structural characteristics of the accessory as such and the other component parts involved in the locking or fixing operation.
The fixing system disclosed herein has been devised to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks and moreover provide a number of innovations which result in substantial advantages and new benefits.
More specifically, the fixing system subject of the invention uses the metal clip and a plastic material peg as an integral element of the accessory that is to be fixed, or else an element independent from the accessory, to which it is suitably attached in order thereafter to be fixed to the clip as such, defining an integral assembly ready to be mounted on the respective window purposely provided in the vehicle bodywork.
Connection between the accessory and the clip by means of the plastic material peg can be made directly simply by pressing, using the thumbs, or by means of a purposely made implement, if this is to take place automatically.
The plastic material peg eliminates the classic screw and washer used in conventional systems. Clearly, the new fixing system will eliminate any difficulty whatsoever in regard to screwing to fix the peg and clip and accessory, for there is no screw whatsoever in this case, hence the savings in both time and materials, etc.
Furthermore, because of the special peg configuration, the use of the peg as the interconnection element or to fix the clip and the accessory to each other results in the peg lying on top edges or ridges of the clip flaps or tabs through which support is provided on the edge of the window purposely made in the bodywork, this new arrangement allowing for a substantial rigidity and making the assembly far stronger, indeed as regards xe2x80x9cfeelingxe2x80x9d towards heavy loads, unlike conventional fixing systems, in which a screw is fixed on the actual clip base, which base is the weakest element in the clip because of its configuration, and is however the portion or element undergoing a greater pull/bending stress, thereby conveying a xe2x80x9cfeelingxe2x80x9d of scarce rigidity to strong pulling forces.
As for the clip structure, not only does it have the base and its end and side expansions, as well as flexing flaps and the relevant sides, as with conventional clips, but it is particular in that the side flaps of said clip, are not folded on themselves after their rounded top bend to define vertical side by side expansions, but are rather interrupted after the rounded bend to define a spacing between edges for the relevant connection to the respective peg, being also particular in that the base of said clip has a large rectangular window to allow said peg through.
For its part, said peg consists of a body with a lower rectangular base and a small double slot keyway coaxial with the peg axis, a narrow part with a large hole projecting from such base and ending at the top in a rounded shape resulting in a T-shaped cross-section the cross or top leg of which is entirely rounded, as noted before, i.e. hemispherical or the like, whereas a stepping is defined beneath same on either side precisely for the top edges of the sides of the actual metal clip to be positioned.
Now, therefore, if it should be necessary to dismount any accessory or all the accessories fitted on the self-supporting panel or in other applications, a simple manual implement in the form of a two-part wrench will be inserted through the small double slot keyway coaxial with the peg axis, and upon pushing and turning it over 90xc2x0, the top edges of the sides of the actual clip will be appropriately drawn away from the stepping or supporting side portion on the peg where they are inserted, being released therefrom and hence from the fixed position, said clip being in principle fixed to the bodywork window from which it may be readily removed by acting on its tabs with a simple narrow blade screwdriver, to restore it once again by inserting it in the relevant peg of the removed accessory, or leaving it in position and inserting in it again the peg of the dismounted or replaced accessory, whereupon it will be perfectly fixed without any further operations being required.
Because the top edges of the sides of the clip are not in contact with each other, but are rather supported on the sides of the peg body, all squeaking which might result upon their rubbing against each other when the accessory is manipulated or due to the actual vibration of the bodywork or movement of the vehicle will be avoided.
The subject fixing and locking system results in the elements being efficiently clipped, enhancing and further securing their insertion in elongate bodywork windows, their rigidity remaining unchanged, which is an important condition when the dispersion of tolerances with respect to the reference points established as a result of the welding processes of the car bodywork elements must be offset.
In a different embodiment, the peg has characteristics that allow the clip and the peg to be dismounted or detached from one another by means of a conventional implement, such as a screwdriver, to which end the hole through which the tool or implement proper is inserted is provided to extend into a tubular extension that reaches the top end of the actual peg, a bore being defined between said edge and the end of the tubular extension, to allow the implement through in order that it may drive the clip, simply making a sharp 90xc2x0 turn.
The top edge of the bore through which the expander implement can operate has a central cylindrical recess with two abutments, the latter delimiting the maximum rotation of the implement in order to draw away the edges of the flexing flaps and thereby release the clip from the peg, for a quarter of a turn in turning the implement or screwdriver allows such expansion or drawing of the flexing flaps of the clip and thus its disconnection from the peg.
The tubular extension provided as an improvement in the embodiment described for the inventive peg allows the implement or screwdriver to be inserted duly guided in the right direction toward the central cylindrical recess with which the top edge of the window through which the implement can act is purposely provided.
For its part, the clip is particular in that its flexing flaps can be provided with lightening windows, thereby improving flexibility and making it easier to insert the clip in the bodywork receiving windows.
In another embodiment, both the clip and the peg include a number of changes derived from the same number of improvements that result in new benefits.
Specifically, one of the advantages of this third embodiment lies in that the window provided on the bottom base of the clip to allow the peg through is eliminated centrally, resulting in the same being reduced to two facing incuts on its base, which will now allow a development to be had with sufficient material for the side flexing flaps to be longer, which greater length will be used to obtain expansions therein, which are divergent and on which it is sufficient to act using pincers or pliers once the peg has been removed to detach the clip from its anchorage.
This improvement moreover means that the indents purposely provided in the side flaps for them to be fixed to or anchored in the edges of the window purposely provided in the vehicle bodywork will lie in a lower relative position, which allows the inlaying which previously had to be made around the bodywork anchorage window to offset the height or distance between those indents and the top base of the clip to be eliminated. Clearly, the new conception or improvement referred to allows said distance to be controlled in the clip manufacturing process, as the thickness of the shell where the relevant window is to be made may require to be applied,
Another improvement lies in that the clip base is provided with small flaps, as an integral part of the end and side extensions, which flaps allow the accessory or mechanism to be held, allowing part of such end extensions to be eliminated, where this is deemed convenient, which operation would take place during the manufacturing process, which would result in the clip base being considerably reduced, which might be interesting for certain applications in which the condition that the clip have the end and side extensions may not be required.
Furthermore, another improvement provided lies in that the end extensions of the clip base are provided with small deformations or depressions which allow clipping to be secured after moving the clip itself in the insertion action in the relevant window.
Another improvement lies in that the top facing edges of the clip sides have small central protuberances and a small arch between them, in order that upon being opened or moved by a screwdriver action, in the operation to release the peg, the arch may lie in a stable position and make the operation easier, allowing the screwdriver to be turned to the right or to the left, unlike former versions in which the screwdriver could only be turned in one direction, moreover allowing the abutments required in the inner conformation of the peg in the preceding version to be eliminated.
Another improvement of the invention lies in providing the peg with ribs or reinforcements which, in addition to providing the peg with greater stability, serve to guide the clip and manage to center the same on the window, enabling support on all four sides, rather than on the two broadsides as before.
Another improvement lies in that the peg proper is provided with depressions which allow the clip deformations to be housed during the overtravel required for clipping between the latter, the peg proper and insertion thereof in the bodywork window.
It is also an improvement of the invention to provide the peg with other depressions allowing movement of the divergent clip extensions whilst both parts are being coupled, and their insertion in the window.
In a different embodiment, the clip can be a double clip, i.e. made up of two like elements connected by a pair of intermediate sectors or arches, albeit provided collaterally with the two clips, which sectors or arches are obtained as an integral part of the actual development of said double clip.
Clearly, the peg to be used with this clip can also be a double peg and will comprise respective identical bodies, provided on a single base and with a passage that will come to lie facing the passage defined between the two clips and bridges connecting the same, in order to allow the passage of a supporting turret, namely for instance the base of a sunshade. The facing parts of the two pegs will have pairs of ledges on and against which the respective lower sectors of the flexing flaps for the two clips will be supported and abut, in order to achieve a suitable anchorage and attachment therebetween.